Where to stay in Stockholm: Jumbo Stay Arlanda

by Michael

If you’re looking for where to stay in Stockholm, particularly for a Stockholm Arlanda Airport hotel, consider Jumbo Stay Arlanda. It’s one of the coolest places we’ve stayed in our travels. The Jumbo Stay Arlanda is a Stockholm hostel parked at the edge of the Airport. But this isn’t just any hostel, it’s built into a retro-fitted 747 which was in service between 1976 and 2004. For airplane geeks this is the ultimate lodging.

Jumbo Stay Arlanda: the ultimate hotel for plane geeks!

Boeing recently announced that in the not too distant future they may stop production of the 747. The iconic, humped airliner was the first of the Jumbo Jets and revolutionized air travel since PanAm first started flying them in 1970. For those who are fans of this airplane, the current crop of them will fly on for years. But with the Jumbo Stay hotel you have the opportunity to sleep on a 747, and not just in an uncomfortable coach seat while flying a red-eye over the ocean.

Fly boy? Or just a plane geek?

Stockholm: Where to Stay

For travelers seeking a Stockholm Arlanda Airport hotel, the 747 is a marvelous sight. When you stand right below it you realize how enormous these flying machines really are. Guests take the elevator up to the former main passenger deck to check-in. The passenger seating area is now a long corridor with rooms on either side.

You too can sleep in an engine cowling (or just walk on the wing) at the Jumbo Stay Arlanda.

More Than Just a Stockholm Hostel

Most of the rooms are simple, resembling cabins on a cruise ship with upper and lower berths, and shared bathrooms. For the full Stockholm hostel experience, a few rooms (four, to be exact) are actually contained in the former engine cowlings, resembling sleeping in a gypsy caravan. However, there are two separate “suites” for those who wish to have a private toilet and shower while staying at the Jumbo Stay Arlanda.

The Cockpit Suite, watch those controls!

The much-coveted cockpit suite is located, of course, in the former cockpit. It includes what used to be the first-class lounge. That was booked so we ended up in the “Black-Box Suite” in the rear of the plane. Yes, it’s where the infamous black box used to be located, a bit eerie, but we soon overcame that upon peeking out the window at airplanes soaring by.

The Black Box Suite

As a special treat the port wing is open for a stroll and some plane-spotting on the nearby runway. There are even a few tables to eat the breakfast that is provided. A shuttle runs regularly to the airport terminal, which is only five minutes away. We used the shuttle in the evening to have dinner at one of the airport restaurants overlooking the busy runway. They are conveniently located before security, so anyone can eat there, not just someone with a flight ticket.

Enjoy breakfast, or just hang out, in the nose of the plane

Our Favorite Arlanda Airport Hotel

So if you’re seeking a Stockholm Arlanda Airport hotel (or if you’re just a plane geek), consider the Jumbo Stay Arlanda for a unique travel experience. It’s hard to imagine now, but at some point the groundbreaking 747 will be a vestige of another age, perhaps it already is.

How to book:

Note: If you’re interesting in staying at Jumbo Stay Arlanda, or somewhere else in Stockholm, please consider booking through one of our links above. We make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Just one of the ways we can keep things humming here at Changes in Longitude while offering valuable travel advice free to our readers 😊.

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